Duke men’s basketball head coach Jon Scheyer announced Tuesday the additions of KJ Conklin as assistant coach and Alexander Powell as executive director of basketball.
Conklin arrives in Durham following coaching and player development stops at the NBA G League, Division I and junior college levels, while Powell joins the Blue Devils after eight years in the NBA, bringing extensive experience in analytics, research and basketball operations.
“KJ is an unbelievable addition to our staff and our program,” Scheyer said. “He has a genuine passion for developing people and helping them reach their potential, and that comes through in every interaction. Throughout the process, his energy, work ethic, basketball knowledge, and ability to build meaningful relationships consistently stood out. He comes from an organization that has sustained success at the highest level, and he understands the habits, accountability, and daily commitment that winning requires. KJ will have a tremendous impact on our players both on and off the court, and we’re excited to welcome him and his family to Duke.”
Conklin joins Duke after spending the past four seasons at multiple levels of basketball, most recently serving as assistant coach and director of player development for the Austin Spurs, the NBA G League affiliate of the San Antonio Spurs. From 2022-24, he worked for the University of Texas men’s basketball program, spending his last season with the Longhorns as director of player development.
Prior to Texas, Conklin served as an assistant coach at Independence Community College during the 2021-22 season, where he was the team’s offensive coordinator. He also spent one season as an assistant coach at Olney Central College and two years as a graduate assistant at Louisiana Tech. In addition, Conklin worked during the summers of 2018 and 2019 as an intern with Pure Sweat Basketball in Los Angeles, assisting with player development workouts for several NBA players, including former Duke standouts Jayson Tatum and RJ Barrett.
A native of Rock Falls, Illinois, Conklin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in social education from Illinois State University in 2017, where he served as a student manager for the men’s basketball program.
The newly established position of executive director of basketball will oversee the integration of analytics, technology and innovation across all facets of Duke Men’s Basketball, providing data-informed insights to support roster management, opponent preparation, talent evaluation and on-court strategy. The position is designed to enhance decision-making throughout the program by leveraging advanced analytics, emerging technologies and basketball intelligence tools while identifying new trends and best practices from across the sport.
“We’re excited to welcome Alexander Powell to Duke Basketball,” Scheyer said. “From the beginning of the process, it was clear that AP shares our belief that great programs never stop growing. He brings a unique combination of NBA experience, innovation, and analytical expertise, but what stood out most was his ability to turn information into action that helps people improve and teams win. He’s a collaborative thinker, a problem solver, and someone who will challenge us to continue evolving in every area of our program. We’re thrilled to have AP and his family join the Duke Basketball family.”
Powell comes to Duke after spending the past eight years in the NBA, most recently serving as Director of Basketball Innovation with the Portland Trail Blazers. He led the organization’s research and development department, overseeing analytics and software initiatives that supported coaching, player evaluation, scouting and strategic planning. His responsibilities also included salary cap management, team building, player evaluation modeling and roster construction.
Before his time with the Trail Blazers, Powell spent six seasons with the Charlotte Hornets as Head of Quantitative Analysis and Development. During his tenure, he built the franchise’s analytics department, applications and models from the ground floor, while leading research initiatives and fostering collaboration across coaching, scouting, front office and performance departments.
A native of Greenville, South Carolina, Powell earned a Master of Data Science degree in 2022 from Northwestern University, where his studies focused on machine learning, AI model building and predictive modeling. He graduated from Kenyon College with a degree in mathematics focused on statistics, and completed a senior thesis examining advanced statistical models and their application to measuring shooting production in the NBA. A four-year starter and three-year team captain for the Kenyon men’s basketball program, Powell finished among the school’s career leaders in 3-point percentage and ranked among the nation’s top free-throw shooters during his collegiate career.
